5 tips for keeping your New Year’s resolutions

You’ve set your sights on a commendable goal, but statistics show that fewer than 1 in 5 New Year’s resolutions are actually kept. How do we turn each year’s spark of ambition for self-betterment into a long-term success? These tips from sound research, experience and good common sense will help.

1. Be Realistic.  

One powerful way to make your New Year’s resolution stick is being able to take pride in your initial success.

Most people make resolutions to solve something they haven’t been good at in the past, so think of resolutions in terms of small, achievable steps. Want to save money? Resolve to put an extra 10 percent of each paycheck in a savings account — plus a little extra whenever you can — rather than a number so high you immediately miss the mark and end up making excuses.

2. Be Specific.  

Set measurements, activities or tasks you can check off as having fulfilled your goal for that day.

If your resolution is too vague, it’s harder to see your progress. Improve your resolution to “get healthy” by tasking yourself to include one fresh fruit with every breakfast, or a resolution to “de-stress” by committing to a short walk or 10 minutes of quiet meditation every lunch break.

3. Focus on your commitment, not the outcome.  

Don’t get hung up on factors you can’t control, and know you’re making a difference.

You can resolve to get a better job, but it will only happen when something opens up. Instead, commit to send out one resume per week. You can resolve to lose 5 pounds in January, but sometimes you do everything right and it still doesn’t show up on the scale. Instead, set specific goals for healthy eating and exercise. Be proud of what you accomplished and have faith it will change your life in the long run.

4.  Don’t let a screw-up mean give up.  

If it was easy, you would have already been doing it before you made it your New Year’s resolution.

Resolved to quit smoking, but end up bumming a few? Cutting out sugar, but end up chowing down on box of doughnuts? It’s not the end of the world — just re-commit the next day. You can also assign yourself a way to “make-up” for every slip-up, like walking a mile for every cigarette you smoke, or an extra $50 in your savings account to make up for a time you skipped on saving. That way, you can pat yourself on the back without having to be perfect.

 5. Tell friends and family about your goals.  

People who care about you will help you stay on track.

Not only are you making yourself more accountable to your resolution, but you’re also letting friends, family or coworkers know they matter and make a difference in your life. When you have a conversation about your goal and the progress you’ve made to a friend, you also gain encouragement and respect — a worthwhile reward in itself.